


Kaiju Bloo

by CandyDragonGuts



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Drug Addiction, Drug Use, Drug Warning, M/M, Multi, Slow Burn, build up to that, but its not just lol random trust me, eventual newmann, i should have started with that but uhhh my bad, kind of an AU, kind of monster fucking eventually, like its def a build up, oc fucking, oc is afab agender, the guys are gonna have moments of ooc, will change rating when the more explicit chapters are posted
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2019-04-13 18:57:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14118786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CandyDragonGuts/pseuds/CandyDragonGuts
Summary: Hermann and Newton had known each other for years. From sending emails to one another about deep, intellectual conversations, exchanging possible scientific theories, to working side by side learning and exploring more about the kaiju. In this time, it would be safe to say they had a decent read on each other. Nothing absolute, but it was pretty easy to tell when the other was happy, upset, troubled, and so on.In which Newton is caught with an addiction, involved with someone he shouldn't be, and Hermann getting caught up in everything himself trying to help him.Ongoing fic, it's pretty self indulgent on my part. If you have an issue with drug use/drug addiction and would rather not read about the topic i wouldn't suggest checking this out. OC is heavily based on a personal character.





	1. Awful Behavior

**Author's Note:**

> This is mostly for fun for me, I hope shoving my OC into it makes it kind of interesting. I love Newt/Hermann so its gonna turn into that.

Hermann noticed something was off with Newton. One of the first instances was a day Newton came in before he did; something that rarely happened.

“Dr. Geiszler, you’re here rather early,” Hermann commented flatly as he took off his overcoat and sat at his computer. He put on his glasses and started going through his emails.  
“Yeah, yeah, I’ve been here since like, uh, 5 A.M.”  
“5 in the morning?” Hermann looked at his watch. It was almost 8:30 A.M.  
“Yeah, yeah.” Newton was somewhat damp from sweat. He moved from data on a table, to a dissection project on a portion of a kaiju heart, to his laptop. His movements were a little unhinged, but still quick. “I have a lot to do and, you know, I figured why not tackle all of them at once?” he spoke quickly, going over the data.  
“I’m not sure that’s the best idea, but when have you ever...listened to me...” he kept his eyes on his computer as he typed some responses.  
“Yeah, sure, whatever you say,” Newton was clearly not listening. 

The day carried on like this, and at around 7 Hermann prepared his departure from the lab. “Newton, it’s seven o’clock. I think you’ve done enough for the day.”  
“No, no, I still have more to do. I’ll see ya later...” he was choosing between some of his medical equipment for his dissection.  
“Very well. evening, Dr. Geiszler.”  
“Bye, Herms.”

Newton never went to his room that night. He stayed there until Hermann returned the next morning. He forced Newton to wrap up whatever the hell he was doing and go to bed. It took some back and forths but eventually, Newton caved and left the lab at around noon. He slept until the next morning. He had calmed down significantly and acted as if nothing had happened. 

Then Hermann began to notice the mood swings. It started small, mistaken for small bouts of grumpiness from lack of sleep or too much sleep. But it escalated. He had also gotten into the habit of listening to hard rock and metal music in the lab which could be extremely distracting.  
“Geiszler, would you mind turning down that racket?” Hermann sighed.  
“You know what, no, fuck you Hermann!” Newton snapped. “There’s only so little I can do to let off some steam around here, let me have my god damn music, would you?” he threw down a medical saw.  
“Newton, I’m not asking you to turn off the music, I just wanted you to-”  
“No, no, you’re always putting me down and all the shit I like, I’m fucking sick of it! You go to fucking hell, Hermann!” he threw his arms down dramatically and stomped out of the lab.  
Hermann gripped his cane, completely caught off guard. The music still echoed in the room. He limped over and turned it off. He rubbed the back of his neck. He really wasn’t sure how to react to such a conversation. Newton had never snapped like that before. At least with such little provocation.  
Newton would not return until the next day. 

Outside of the aggressive dips in patience, Newton would experience short spurts of euphoria. He came in and barely worked, he simply sat at his desk and tried to talk to Hermann about...pretty much anything. Or at least tried to. He ended up talking about himself more often than anything.  
On the first day this happened, Hermann groaned after several hours. Newton had barely taken a moments rest from talking. “Geiszler, please. I need to work, you need to work, we both need to work. We have no time for this slacking off!” He turned around from his chalk board.  
“Dude, I know! But we can’t run ourselves ragged, you know!” Newton was sitting on Hermann’s desk.  
“Off, off,” he batted the man off his desk with the cane.  
Newton sighed and complied. “You gotta chill out, dude.”  
“Yes, and you’re one to talk...” Hermann grumbled.  
“What was that?”  
“Nothing.”  
“I’m gonna go let lunch, let’s go get lunch, Herms!” Newton suggested abruptly.  
“What did I just say!”  
“We gotta eat, don’t we! Get some good ol’ energy in us so we can focus!” he tapped the side of his head.  
“Yes, you go get lunch. I’m going to pass.”  
“I’ll bring you back something,” Newton waved his hand up, already heading out the door.  
Newton would not return to the lab until the next day. 

Now, Hermann didn’t have the desire to pry into ones life. He kept to himself, and let people do as they pleased and carry on with whatever business they had. But Newt was a colleague. He had a strange, but brilliant mind that couldn’t be put to waste. 

“Newton,” Hermann approached him. Newton was leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed. He had a lit cigarette hanging in his mouth. He didn’t respond. “Newton,” Hermann repeated more sternly.  
“Huh,” he didn’t move.  
“We need to talk.”  
“What about,” he didn’t put much effort into his response.  
“Sit up,” Hermann gave Newton’s leg a small smack with his cane.  
“Shit, what?” he finally sat up and took the cigarette out of his mouth.  
“For one, you cannot smoke in here.”  
“Man, whatever, who cares,” he took a drag and puffed out a breath of smoke. “You gonna rat me out?”  
“Christ, Newton, what has gotten into you?” Hermann smacked his cane down for emphasis.  
“What are you on about?” he rocked back in his chair. His eyes were bloodshot and accompanied by dark circles under them. His shirt was wrinkled, more so than usual. A layer of sweat glared off his skin. He wiped at his forehead to get rid of some of it.  
“When was the last time you showered?” Hermann whispered harshly. “You’re wearing the same outfit from yesterday, maybe even longer than that. You look like you haven’t slept in days. What the hell is going on with you?”  
“Dude, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied calmly, taking another drag of his cigarette.  
“Newton, whatever it is, you...you have to stop this awful behavior. We have an important job to do.”  
“Yeah, we’re doing so much aren’t we,” he scoffed.  
“Not with that attitude!” Hermann smacked him on the head with his cane.  
“Ow, what the fuck!” Newton recoiled, dropping his cigarette. “Look what you did, Hermann, jesus...” he huffed.  
“If you don’t want to talk to me about it, go see the psychiatrist.”  
“I don’t need a fucking shrink, dude!” Newton yelled.  
“You clearly need something!”  
“Yeah, I need to get the fuck away from you!” he sprang up from his seat and stormed out the lab.  
“Damnit, Newton, get back here,” Hermann tried to go after him. But it was no use with his limp. He tapped his fingers on the handle of his cane and tightened his grip. He decided to leave Newton be for now.  
Hermann tried to return to his research for the rest of the day. He made little progress. He felt like whatever was going on with Newton was only going to get worse. There had to be something he could do.

He left the lab earlier than normal and tried to see Newton. It was about 6 o’clock. He got to his door and sighed heavily. He hesitated before knocking on it several times. There was a moment of silence, some shuffling, and then footsteps.  
Newton opened the door, wearing only dark tight jeans. He was wet from a recent shower, and his open, brightly colored tattooed chest immediately caught Hermann off guard. “Oh, hey Herms,” he put his glasses on.  
Hermann averted his gaze and coughed, “My apologies, Geiszler, I didn’t...mean to catch you at an inconvenient time.” He tried to act professionally.  
“Oh, it’s cool, dude, what’s up?”  
“I just...I wanted to apologize...” he spoke awkwardly.  
“Apologize?” Newton repeated.  
“Can you put on something, please.”  
“Oh, haha, yeah, sorry. Just come in,” he offered. He grabbed a shirt he had on his bed. When he turned, Hermann gasped softly. Long cuts ran down his back. They were mostly healed but impossible to miss. They disappeared under Newton’s shirt.  
Hermann wanted to ask but was more concerned with Newton’s lack of memory. “From...earlier today...”  
Newton adjusted his glasses and chewed on his lip in thought. “Uh...earlier today...”  
“You...left the laboratory at about noon. 6 hours ago.”  
“Was, uh...that today?” he paced backwards towards his bathroom.  
“What, yes, Newton!” Hermann hobbled after him.  
Newton examined himself in his mirror and took a comb to his hair. “Well, uh, forget about it. I clearly have,” he laughed it off. “I mean, I should probably apologize, too. I overreacted a little bit.”  
Hermann was at a loss for words.  
“Hey, I got an idea, why don’t you come out with me tonight?” he slapped his hands together with excitement.  
“Go...out?”  
“Yeah, c’mon, it’s friday night, let’s celebrate by tying one off!”  
“Celebrate...what?”  
“I dunno, forgiving each other, friendship, life!” Newton listed.  
Hermann knew Newton was on the brink of one of his manic episodes. “I don’t...I don’t think that’s a good idea.”  
“I think it’d be super fun, dude. I never have a buddy to go out with!” Newton threw on a leather jacket decorated in kaiju designs on the back. He looked himself over in his mirror. “The ferry is leaving soon so you gotta be sure.”  
“The ferry? To the mainland?” Hermann watched Newton as he paced around his room.  
“Yeah, it goes out like every day now, didn’t you know that?”  
“I guess I...i missed that memo...” Hermann slowly replied. His mind began to race, piecing things together. “How...long has the ferry been going out?” he tried to ask nonchalantly.  
“What, I don’t know, a few months now?” he answered while quickly putting on a bright red tie. “Dude, what’s your answer? You comin?”  
Hermann shifted his weight anxiously. “I...yes, alright. I’ll come with you.”  
“Yes, awesome, we’re gonna have a killer time!” he exclaimed. “Sucks you’re gonna be wearing that, but whatever,” he lead Hermann out of his room.  
“What? What’s wrong with my clothing?” he asked, offended.  
“It’s just...you know, its...not the coolest threads,” Newton admitted. “But whatever, no worries man!” he laughed and locked his door.  
Hermann wrinkled his nose and decided to let it go. He had more important things to focus on. They made it to the ferry, Newton talking almost the entire time. Hermann remained quiet. Knowing that the ferry to Hong Kong came daily was such a huge key to understanding what was going on. There were so many questionable places in the city. Had he been binge drinking? Using drugs? Gambling? So many possibilities. He chewed on his lip. If he could figure out the source of Newton’s behavior, he could finally help him.


	2. "Monsters Play in our Sapphire Hearts"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newt and Hermann make it to Newt's favorite bar scene, and Hermann finds the source of his distress and wired actions. Its a side of Newton he was not prepared to see.

The two made it to the city at around 7:30. The ferry ride wasn’t necessarily the fasted trip. Hermann wanted to grill Newton with so many questions but he knew he couldn’t risk it. He sighed, his leg and hip were beginning to burn from the walking. “How much further is it?”  
“We’re almost there, we’re almost there!” They turned into an empty alley.  
Hermann looked around. “This place is...too quiet...”  
“No, no it just seems like it. Everyone’s enjoying the party,” he pointed a finger at the building. He brought them to a plain, metal door. A small window slid open.  
“What do you want,” someone said in thick french accent.  
This made Hermann tilt his head. It was slightly unexpected.  
“Oh uh,” Newton looked over at Hermann. “Could you, hold on over there for a second?”  
“What?”  
“It’s a password, just...humor me,” he gently pushed him.  
“You’re trying my patience, Geiszler...” Hermann grumbled and limped a few steps to the side.  
Newton cleared his throat and leaned towards the window. He spoke with a low voice but Hermann could still hear him fairly well. He said, “Les monstres jouent dans nos coeurs de saphir.”  
His french didn’t have the perfect pronunciation but it wasn’t half bad. The window shut and there were several clicks. The door creaked open and Newton looked over at Hermann. “C’mon, we’re in!”  
Hermann followed Newton into the building. A broadly built woman with pink hair crossed her arms and glared at the two. “The one with the glasses. Keep your voice lower. You whisper like a drunken elephant,” she wrinkled her nose.  
“Uh, yeah, okay,” Newton laughed nervously and hurried along.  
“Interesting, I didn’t know you spoke french,” Hermann commented.  
“Oh, uh, I don’t really. I just know that phrase...” he admitted. “Wait, you heard it?”  
“Yes, it wasn’t that hard, like the woman said.”  
“Shit, well, don’t tell anyone. Like, seriously,” he stopped walking and turned as he spoke.  
“Is it really that big of a deal?” Hermann raised an eyebrow.  
“Uh, yeah it kinda is. I know you...probably won’t tell anyone, but uh, yeah, don’t,” Newton become somewhat anxious.  
“You know I have no reason to.” Hermann took note of that. It was more than suspicious. How did Newton get wrapped up in a place that needed a password?  
“Right, right,” he laughed nervously. “A-anyway, this way,” Newton continued to lead them. The hallway they walked down had several doors.  
“Where do these doors go if not...this special bar or whatever,” Hermann pressed.  
“Oh, I don’t know,” Newton replied simply, as if he had never thought about it.  
The building was surprisingly still and quiet, something that added to Hermann’s own nervousness. “It’s...awfully silent for a club...”  
“Oh man, this building is so good for blocking sound.”  
“That is...not reassuring to hear...” Hermann winced and stopped. “I need a moment, Newton.”  
“Shit, dude, I’m sorry,” he slowed down. “You alright?”  
“Yes, just...” he sighed, “I wish you would have told me how much walking we were going to be doing...”  
“Yeah, shit, I’m sorry, that was a dick move...” he patted his shoulder. “I’ll make it up to you!”  
“I don’t want to try one of your swills you call a drink...” Hermann peeled the hand off him.  
“I have some other things in mind,” he winked.  
“Oh god,” Hermann rolled his eyes and straightened up. “Just tell me we’re really almost there.”  
“We are, we just gotta go down these stairs!” Newton pointed over his shoulder.  
“Alright, let’s go.”

They walked down the stairs, Newton keeping a slower pace for Hermann. At the bottom of the stairs were two strong, tall men; stereotypical bouncers. “Evening, gentlemen,” Newton greeted them with a cheery attitude.  
“I’m here for Ryn...and I brought a guest,” he flashed a plain black card.  
One of them took the card and flashed a black light on it. He examined it a few times and gave it back. “Welcome back, Newton,” he opened the door for him.  
He bowed his head and ushered for Hermann to follow. “Now we can finally have some fun.”  
Hermann swallowed dryly. These men spoke as if they knew Newton. Checking whatever form of identification he gave them was a formality. He could see right past it. He kept a calm demeanor as he followed Newton into the scene.  
“Who’s Ryn?” Hermann asked once they were out of earshot of the bouncers. He hadn’t let that slip past him.  
“Ryn is...uh, kinda my...uh, friend but more than that?” Newton toed over the words.  
“Your...what?”  
“Uh, yeah, they work here...I met them awhile ago and um...we really hit it off,” he answered shyly. They found a small, round table and sat down.  
“I’m...really surprised, Newton,” Hermann blinked.  
“Oh, c’mon, you think this sexy body couldn’t get anyone? That’s just cruel, Herms!”  
“No, it’s not that, I just...” Hermann trailed off. He held his chin and put his pointer finger over his lips. Could the cause of his behavior really been from this new relationship? No, that was too simple of an answer. It wouldn’t make sense anyway. Right? Lack of sleep from the constant trips could...possibly cause erratic mood swings. He mulled it over in his head for a little too long. He would have to come to a better conclusion once he met Ryn.  
“Hermann?” Newt said with a stern voice.  
“What?” he flinched.  
“What do you want to drink?” Newton flicked his head, gesturing to the waitress at their table.  
“Oh, my apologies, um, a water is fine,” Hermann quickly answered. The waitress gave a condescending smile. “Just a water?”  
“What the hell, Herms, c’mon, this place has like...everything! You are not getting a water, he’ll have a jack and coke,” Newton waved his hand.  
“What, no, I don’t want that,” he tried to object but the waitress was already gone. “I hate jack and coke, Newton...”  
“Just have this one drink,” Newton leaned back.  
“Fine,” he huffed. He leaned his cane against the table. “Tell me more about Ryn.”  
“I’m hoping you can meet them, actually,” Newton started looking around the club.  
Hermann did the same. It seemed like a typical dive bar, save a little nicer. The atmosphere was similar enough. It had dim lighting, somewhat loud music, but not loud enough to drown out conversation. The area wasn’t packed but it had a decent crowd. Hermann looked at his watch, reading the time at about 9. That was still somewhat early for the bar scene. He hoped to get out of there before it hit that point of chaos. He hated huge crowds, and he hated huge crowds that were full of alcohol.  
“You keep saying them,” Hermann pointed out.  
“Yeah, Ryn...looks really femme but,” Newt was somewhat distracted, still scanning the bar. “they don’t identify as a woman or man.”  
“Very...interesting...” Hermann chose his words carefully.  
“Hey man, gender is weird.”  
“Surely.”  
“Look, just...please don’t call them a woman, and do your best to stick to they and them when talking about them,” Newton’s tone was more serious.  
Hermann nodded, “I will...do my best.”  
“I mean, I appreciate it and I know they will. It’ll get you on their good side in no time.”  
The waitress came by with their drinks and sat them down gently. “Here we are, and if we need anything else, let me know!”  
“Yeah, thanks,” Newt nodded and smiled. He took his drink and took several big gulps. “Ah, hell yeah, that’s good.”  
“What do you mean...get on their good side?” Hermann narrowed his eyes.  
“What, I just mean…I want them to like you,” he brushed it off. He craned his neck, skimming the scene.  
“Newton...are they...why you’ve been...”  
“There’s my sweet guy,” a figure appeared behind Newton. They slid an arm around his shoulder.  
He whipped his around to look up at them. “Shit, hey, baby,” his eyes were wide and excited. He took their other hand and kissed it several times. “I was wondering where you were.”  
“Out and about. You know how it goes,” they tilted their head to the side, looking over Hermann. “Who’s your friend, love?”  
Hermann was also taking in the person before them. A black, glittering dress clung to their heavy set frame. The low cut on the chest gave little to the imagination. They rested a hand on their wide hips. A vibrant yellow green chunk of hair swooped over their face, with freshly shaved brown sides. The most striking characteristic of this person, though, was their bright, violet eyes. When they spoke, fangs glinted, even in the poor lighting.  
“This is my friend , Hermann Gottlieb,” Newton introduced him. Hermann was frozen, examining this strange person before him. “Dude,” Newton kicked his leg a little.  
“Oh, um, I’m sorry,” he fumbled with his words.  
“Do you like them?” they smirked.  
“Excuse me?” he asked in surprise.  
They brought a finger to their teeth and dragged it along them. “My modifications?”  
Hermann’s body jolted and looked back and forth between Newt and Ryn. “Modifications?” he whispered. “K..Kaiju modifications?”  
“Hermann, be cool...” Newt held a hand up.  
“You didn’t warn him at all?”  
“N-no, Ryn, you told me not to, remember?” he stuttered slightly.  
“Oh, I know,” they ran a hand up the base of his neck and up through his hair. He shivered slightly. “I was just making sure.”  
“Newton, I am very uncomfortable with this,” Hermann hissed.  
“Babe, would you, uh, give us a second?” he had his arm around their waist and pulled it back.  
“Of course. The night is young.” They sauntered past Hermann and dragged a finger along the table. “Very nice to meet you, Dr. Gottlieb.”  
Once they were gone, Hermann swiveled his head back to Newton. “She knows I’m a scientist? How much does she know? Newton, you are jeopardizing both of our careers-”  
“They, Hermann, not she!” he interrupted angrily.  
“God damnit, Newton, are you...are you thinking straight at all?” Hermann growled. “KM’s are not only extremely illegal, they’re dangerous.”  
“Dude, all the hate on KM’s is just...it’s bull shit,” Newton defended. “It’s like propaganda. Modding is a lot safer than people think.”  
“You...of all people...should know that’s not true,” Hermann’s voice shook slightly. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  
Kaiju Modding started as an illegal trend that had escalated in popularity in the recent years. It was common knowledge that when it started, the effects were terminal. Over time, rumors spread that the black market had found a way to stabilize the effects, and one was able to customize their appearance in a much more advanced, safe way. The most common way to modify was usually the eyes and teeth, sometimes ears.  
Newton finished his drink and just shook his head. “Ryn is fine. You don’t need to worry about them.”  
“Do they have any other modifications besides the eyes and fangs,” he was gripping his cane now.  
“What?”  
“Do they have any other fucking modifications,” Hermann repeated with a more hostile tone.  
“Uh, no,” he held up his drink and looked at the empty glass.  
“Newton Geiszler, you’re lying to me.”  
“Okay, fine, yes, but I...I didn’t know when I met them!” he quickly admitted.  
“I cannot believe you,” he struggled to stand up. The hard seat had not been helping his hip. “I am leaving.”  
“Hermann, c’mon, don’t be an idiot! The ferry isn’t leaving for another 2 hours.”  
“I’ll occupy myself,” he snapped.  
“Dude, just stay! There’s no point in you wondering around alone out there!”  
Hermann groaned and slowly sat back down. “Fine.”  
“Are you going to...finish your drink?” Newton tried to lighten the mood.  
“No.”  
“Can I have it?”  
“I don’t care,” Hermann replied flatly.  
Newt took the glass and slammed it down. “Are you gonna be all pouty for the rest of the night?” he scratched his neck.  
“I will not have your snide attitude right now.”  
“Fine, you be like that, I’m gonna take a piss,” he huffed before getting up.  
Hermann said nothing and tapped his fingers on the top of the table. He flicked his finger against one of the glasses. Several minutes passed. He checked his watch. It was almost 9:30. If they wanted to make it to the ferry they would have to leave around 11:30.  
Herman’s anxiety took hold and he decided to look for the bathroom himself. It felt like Newton had been gone too long. He limped along, trying to snake his way through the still-growing crowd. Instead of the bathroom, he found a dark blue silken curtain. Left with little other options, he pushed past it. It lead to another section of the club. This part had even less light than where he was. A blue tint overlayed the scene, and the music filled the room at a higher volume. The energy was not near as lax; people danced and grinded their bodies against one another, others were doing body shots off of mostly naked men and women. Hermann was immediately uncomfortable with the scene and turned to retrace his steps. He paused and looked back over when he noticed a familiar leather jacket with kaiju designs.  
It was undoubtedly Newton; sitting on a luxurious couch. He started to limp towards him when he saw Ryn sitting with him and holding up something small and round. Even in the dim light, Hermann could see the bright, blue iridescence to it. He gasped sharply and his eyes widened in fear.  
Ryn placed it on Newt’s tongue gingerly and the two began to passionately kiss. Ryn slowly climbed into his lap, never breaking contact with their mouths. His hands roamed their body and up their shoulders. The sleeves of their black dress were pushed down, revealing their open chest.  
Hermann turned and hurried out of the room as quickly as he could. Once he was out, he collapsed against a wall. He covered his mouth as he pieced everything together in his head. The substance in Ryn’s hand was Kaiju Bloo, one of the most addictive drugs there was. He shook his head, trying to reason that he didn’t see what he saw. But there was no doubt. Kaiju Bloo was famous for its vivid coloration. And a place like this? That already had KM’s working for them, it was absolutely the kind of place that would carry Kaiju Bloo.  
Ryn wasn’t Newton’s lover. They were his dealer. His hand shook over his mouth as all these thoughts crashed over him. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t react to the people that walked by him asking if he was okay. He just stayed silent and still.  
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he grasped his cane and stood up straight. “No more,” he said under his breath. Using as much of his strength he could muster, he raced back to the blue tinted room. He zero’d in on where Newton was, luckily still on the couch. This time he was on top of Ryn. Hermann reached down and gripped the back of Newt’s jacket and pulled as hard as he could.  
“Ah, what the hell?” Newton yelled.  
Hermann said nothing, he just continued pulling on him. He got him standing up right, and started shoving him along, doing his best to ignore the screaming pain in his leg and hips.  
“H-Hermann? What...what’re you doing?”  
“We’re fucking leaving, Geiszler!”  
“What, but, Ryn...”  
“Keep moving,” he demanded. They had pushed past the curtain and into the calmer part of the bar. But they wouldn’t get that much farther.  
“Dr. Gottlieb,” a familiar voice addressed.  
He was out of breath at this point.. He flinched and paused. He looked back.  
Ryn stood with their arms crossed. “You can’t take him.” They had fixed their dress before going after the men.  
“Like hell I can’t,” he panted. “C’mon, Newton,” he grabbed his arm and started walking again.  
“What, no, I don’t wanna go, the night’s just getting started, Herms!” Newton resisted.  
“Please, just trust me,” Hermann maintained his hold. “We need to leave right now,” the distress in his voice was getting more prominent.  
Ryn approached them and held up Newton’s chin, examining him. Newton’s mouth spread into a wide grin and he raised his eyebrows expectantly. “H-Hi, baby...”  
“Dr. Gottlieb, he’s about to go swimming...” they glanced over at him. “He’s not going to be in any condition to be walking around.”  
Hermann’s knowledge on Kaiju Bloo wasn’t extensive but...he knew they were right. But still, he shook his head, “I can’t just...leave him here.”  
“Come,” she took a hold of Newton’s hand. “Let’s go somewhere more private. He’s not going to last much longer anyway.”  
Hermann could only imagine what that meant. Begrudgingly, he followed. Ryn lead them back into the blue room, and Hermann averted his gaze from the chaos ensuing. There was another curtain in the back; this one was guarded by only one bouncer. He didn’t react as the three pushed past the curtain.  
Newton was talking the entire time. “Oh, Ryn, I’m so glad I was able to bring Hermann, he’s a cool guy, and he’s so smart, trust me...” His words came out clearly, but something was off. He swiveled around, walking backwards, “Hermann, are you doing okay? You seem upset!”  
Hermann’s mouth dropped open as he limped along. “Are you...are you serious right now?”  
“Yeah, man, I mean, I wanted us to have a good time tonight! I feel like you’re not having a good time!”  
“He doesn’t know what’s going on right now,” Ryn said over their shoulder. They stopped at a door with a keypad on the wall next to it. They typed on it quickly and it beeped approvingly. “Not completely.”  
“Oh, I know what’s going on,” he stepped into the room and ran both his hands through his hair. “Oh, shit, that’s such a good idea...” he was ecstatic about something. He started undressing, “We’re all gonna fuck, aren’t we?”  
“Newton!” Hermann shrieked.  
His shirt was already off and he was unbuttoning his pants. “Oh fuck, this is gonna be awesome, Herms, Ryn is gonna-”  
“Newt, Newt,” Ryn stepped in front of him. “It’ll just be us tonight.”  
“Aw, really? Why’s Hermann here, then?” Newton hadn’t stopped taking off his pants.  
Hermann had completely turned around and his face was beat red. He propped himself up against the wall. He tried to distract himself by looking at what he could. It was obviously a very nice room, comparable to a five star hotel. It was likely that Ryn lived in this room.  
“He’s going to leave, sweet thing. Go to the shower and I’ll join you in a moment.”  
“Shit, are we gonna fuck in the shower?” he sounded excited about everything he said.  
“Mhm,” they confirmed. “Go on, okay?” There was a sound of soft, yet audible kiss.  
“O-Okay,” he replied after a moment, then let out a laugh.  
When he heard the door close, Hermann nervously turned around. “You’re an awful woman.”  
Ryn’s calm expression twitched. They stepped closer to Hermann, to where there was little space between them. “You’re upset. I understand that. I’m going to let that go. But do not make that mistake again. I am not a woman. Is that clear?”  
Hermann gritted his teeth. “You’ve been poisoning a brilliant man, taking advantage of him, destroying him from the inside out.”  
“Newton Geiszler is a grown man who can make his own decisions,” Ryn retorted. “The reality of the situation is that I know how to take care of him right now. There’s nothing you can do for him until he surfaces. Go back to your base. He will be there, tomorrow.”  
Hermann tried to maintain a strong demeanor, but Ryn was extremely intimidating. Their purple eyes pierced right through him. “This...is not over.”  
“Think whatever you want,” Ryn walked towards the bathroom door. “But if I don’t get in there soon, he’s going to fuck everything in my bathroom. See yourself out, Hermann.” Before he could respond, they disappeared into the bathroom. There was a loud scuffling sound and things falling to the floor. Newton’s voice echoed from inside, ranging from guttural moans to higher pitched curses. Ryn’s voice could be heard alongside his.  
Defeated and feeling absolutely useless, Hermann was about to leave. He noticed Newton’s jeans on the floor where he had abandoned them. Before he realized he was doing, he was rummaging for his colleague’s wallet. He found it, opened it and rummaged for the card Newton had flashed when they came in. He found it and stuffed it into his pocket. He quickly fled the room, the bar, and the building itself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ryn uses they/them pronouns. If "she/her" is ever used without the characters addressing it, it's a typo on my end. I'm not entirely used to typing using they/them. 
> 
> The title of the chapter is the english translation of the french password Newton uses.


	3. Doing Homework Can only Help so Much

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermann returns from Hong Kong and tries to think rationally what he can do to help Newton. The best course of action ultimately leads to confrontation, and Hermann gets to see the aftermath of one of Newton's nights with Ryn.

Hermann was forced to spend hours thinking about the night. He waited for the ferry that would return him to the shatterdome in silence. He would maintain this sinking silence on the ride itself. He spent this time cursing himself. The signs were so obvious. He just had to be a cold, stubborn jackass and keep to himself rather than press Newton for answers. He rubbed his face and felt the most sickening feeling in his stomach. He fought back tears but couldn’t keep a few drops from leaking out.   
Why did Newton even start down such a path? Was he that deeply unhappy and suffering that he felt he had to seek out a substance to hold him up?  
Then his racing mind went to Stacker Pentecost. Their boss. What would he do if he found out? If… Hermann swallowed. He hadn’t even considered telling him. Telling anyone. Should he? That was the responsible thing to do, right? Tell him and get him into rehab, do everything he could to set him straight. His fists tightened, his morals completely torn. No, not yet. He would do everything he could to keep this between him and Newton. He nodded to himself. Once he got back to his personal quarters, he would do his own research. He would pull Newton from Ryn’s clutches on his own, if he could help it.   
Once he was finally home, he took out his personal laptop and began to work. There wasn’t as much as he hoped to find. It was such a mysterious drug; a lot of the sources he found gave different results. Some said that it an aphrodisiac; made to make one last longer and have better orgasms. Others said it was used to elevate energy and aid in focus issues. Some even claimed that it was a powerful pain killer; alleviating even some of the worst aches and symptoms from awful diseases. It’s most common use was more for leisure at clubs and parties. They all reported on the same high addiction rating.   
There were a few rare occasions of people dying from Kaiju Bloo; a total of 4 reported cases. It wasn’t necessarily comforting; there could have easily been other situations that hadn’t been reported. So who knows how many people have actually died from using it.   
Hermann chewed on the skin of his lip as he continued to read up on the substance. It wasn’t always the same, but most spoke of an individual becoming addicted or somewhat dependent on the drug only after a few uses. Some even said it only took doing it once.   
People usually ingested it in pill form, but you could crush it and put it in your drink. Effects can last up to several days, depending on the dosage and how much of a resistance a person has built up to taking it. So of course, the more you use, the more you need to take to get the desired result. Side effects of taking Kaiju Bloo included, but were not limited too, mood swings, insomnia, over-sleeping, pro-longed erections and extra skin sensitivity. For the most part, this sounded like Newton as of the past few months.   
Obtaining them was extremely difficult; mostly due to production and price. The recipe for Kaiju Bloo is unknown, and if it wasn’t, there wouldn’t be an easy way to track it down online. Price ranged from 200$ to 500$ a pill. Knock offs could be found at a cheaper price but they didn’t deliver the same kind of effects.   
Hermann desperately sifted through the internet looking for anything to help Newton kick his addiction. His endeavors were fruitless.   
He sighed and leaned back in his chair. He shifted his weight, trying to relieve the pain in his back and hip. He looked at his watch. It was 4 am. He couldn’t stop now, though. There was still so much he needed to understand.   
He started research on kaiju modification. That would turn up with even less results. There was some articles on the topic; when it started as genetic experimentation and evolved into what it was today. The procedure was so risky, it was common knowledge that people died from it. Maybe not immediately but...eventually. Rumors always drifted about where you could get it done, what you could get done and how much it would cost. The sources Hermann found were less than reliable. It was more or less the type of conspiracy sites that had headlines like “my husband was abducted by kaiju”.   
Hermann checked his watch again. It was 6 am. He was exhausted and couldnt imagine sleeping but he knew he had to. He dragged his now aching body to his bed and lied down. He fell asleep in that position, body on top of the covers. He didn’t move until his alarm went off at 8 am. He scrambled to shut it off. He tried to sit himself up, but he felt the heaviness of sleep taking hold of him again. He just needed a little more rest. He couldn’t face reality yet.   
He awoke with a start a few more hours later. He rubbed his eyes and looked at his watch. It was a little after 11 am. He huffed, frustrated that he’d sleep so much of the day away. But then he remembered Newt. Did he ever come home? Did Ryn stay true to their promise? Hermann pushed himself off his bed, and limped to the bathroom. He quickly splashed water on his face, brushed his teeth and threw on a clean jacket.   
He made his way to Newton’s room, barely paying attention to the “good afternoon’s” from other colleagues. He got to his door and knocked on it several times. He shifted his weight, anxiously waiting. There was no sound on the other side of the door. Hermann knocked on it again. Still nothing. “Newton! Newton, are you in there?” he knocked again, panic rising in his voice. “Newton, please answer the door if you’re there!”  
Finally, the door creaked open. “Hermann...what the hell is it…?” Newton groaned. His glasses were missing from his face and he was once again, shirtless. Hickeys and bruises covered his throat and neck. His eyes were bloodshot and bleary.   
Hermann forced the door open and let himself in. “Thank god, you’re back.”  
“What, yeah...why wouldn’t I be…” he shut the door. “What are you doing up so early?” he rubbed his eyes.  
“It’s almost noon.”  
“What...shit...really...” he looked over at a clock on his wall. “I’ll be damned, it is...”  
“We need...we need to talk about what happened last night.”  
“Dude, what’re you talking about?” he walked to his small kitchen area. He turned on his coffee machine and put a k-cup in it. He yawned and pulled out a coffee mug.   
Hermann saw fresh cuts along his back. He winced and looked away. “Do you really not remember?” he hissed.   
“Guess not, you wanna fuckin’ tell me what’s goin’ on?” he stared at the coffee pouring into his cup.   
“We went...to...your special little shin-dig,” Hermann spoke with a quick pace. “And met your...your...” he pointed at Newton, beginning to lose his temper. He turned his hand into a fist and brought it down. “I met Ryn,” his voice was hoarse. “I saw you and them...and I saw you taking Kaiju Bloo.” Hermann decided to blunt. There was no point in avoiding the topic. He was met with a deafening silence. Newton continued to stare at his coffee, now finished pouring into the cup. Hermann shook his head a little. “Did you hear me?”  
“Um...you...no, that didn’t happen,” Newton finally took a hold of his cup. He walked past Hermann and sat back on his bed.   
“Newton, don’t do this,” Hermann turned to him. “I did. You brought me there...I met Ryn...you ran off with h-…them...” Hermann noticed Newton’s eyes dart to him. “I...saw them give you Kaiju Bloo and...” he turned his head, “I don’t really want to talk about what else happened.”  
“Shit, did we have sex,” Newton didn’t sound phased.  
“What!” Hermann blurted. “No, but you propositioned,” he shot back with accusation.   
“Yeah, that sounds about right,” he half-heartedly chuckled into his coffee cup. He laughed but the look on his face read something completely different. It was sadness mixed with shame.   
“Newton, this is...extremely serious.”  
“It’s fine, Hermann,” his voice piped up. “Don’t...don’t worry about it. I have a handle on myself.”  
“No, you absolutely do not,” he hit the cane on the floor. “You cannot go back there. It’s only going to get worse from here on out!”  
“Worse, what are you talking about?” Newton sneered. “I’m having the time of my life right now!”  
“No, you’re not! You lose focus, your memory is atrocious!” Hermann began to rant. “You’re manic one moment and then you’re throwing a fit the next!”  
Newton smacked his coffee cup down, “Don’t act like you know me, dude!”  
“I do know you, damnit! You think I’m that daft? We’ve known each other for years, I know whats not normal for you!”  
“Man, whatever, get off my case,” he huffed. He got up and hissed slightly, arching his back. “Fuck, my back hurts like shit...”  
“Yes, of course it does!” Hermann hollered. “That...creature isn’t just melting your brain, but shredding your body!” With Newton’s back to him, Hermann reached toward him to touch the wounds. “They’re still bleeding for christ’s sake!” he gingerly touched the scratches, which made Newton shiver and let out a moan.   
“Fuck, dude that...that made my dick feel weird...” his voice became breathless.   
Hermann retracted his hand quickly. “Are...are you...still high?”  
Newton sat back down on his bed and rested his face in his palm. “Heh, yeah, I might be...”  
“God damnit, man, snap out of it!” Hermann slapped him across the face.   
“Ow, shit,” he exclaimed before letting out a few bouts of laughter. “Oh, fuck, Herms that’s hot, hit me again!”  
Hermann grabbed a hold of his shoulders and shook him a little. “Snap out of it. Do you hear me? Cut it out!”  
Newton blinked and his head wavered from side to side. He blinked a few more times. “Okay...yeah...I’m good...”  
“Are you sure?” Hermann stepped back, slowly releasing him. It took every ounce of his energy to keep from running out of the room. He despised seeing this side of Newton.   
“Yeah, sorry...hang on...” he took several big drinks of his coffee. “Fuck...Hermann...” he held his head. “How long have you been here?”  
Hermann stood in shock, his mouth open slightly. “Please...please tell me you’re joking.”  
“No...I’m not...” he put his glasses on.   
“I...it’s only been about 10 minutes...you opened the door for me...”  
“Right...right yeah...” he whispered.   
Hermann pulled up a chair and sat down on it. “Newton, you can’t see Ryn anymore.”  
“Right...we went...out last night...you...saw me...”  
“Yes,” Hermann tried to remain calm. “You can’t go back there anymore,” he repeated.  
“Hermann, I...I can’t, I need them...I need the bloo...”  
“Don’t you dare start talking like that.” There was a moment of silence. Newton rubbed his neck and hissed. He reached for a white bottle and popped it open. “What is that?” Hermann grabbed his hand.  
“Relax, it’s ibuprofen,” he weakly pulled his hand back and put 3 in his mouth. He took another drink of coffee.   
“Newton, why...how did this happen?” Hermann’s spoke with an empty sadness.  
“I didn’t...I didn’t mean to get into bloo...”  
“I don’t think that just suddenly happens,” Hermann couldn’t help but say condescendingly.   
“Yeah, I know!” Newton snapped. “Fuck, sorry...” he got up from the bed and looked at his back in a mirror. He sighed, “Ryn...”  
Hermann looked at him through the reflection. “Did they do this?”  
“Oh, yeah, Ryn absolutely did this,” Newton snickered.   
“No, damnit, did...did they get you on bloo?”  
“Oh, um...kinda...”  
“I knew it. Ryn isn’t your lover, they’re your dealer.”  
“What, no, Ryn and I...we really are together,” Newton corrected. “KB came in afterwards.”  
“Newton, surely you understand that they’re...probably using you...”  
“No, they love me,” he turned around to face Hermann. “And I love them.”  
Hermann shook his head and rose from his seat, wincing a little from the pain. “How long have you known them?” Hermann hoped he could reason with him. But judging how bad Ryn’s hooks are in Newton...it could be no use.   
“A few months.”  
“When the ferry started going out daily,” Hermann nodded.   
“What’s your point?” he was getting agitated again.   
“Do you have to pay for the KB?”  
“I mean...yeah...but I get a discount.”  
“Newton!” Hermann was getting frustrated again.   
“I do! It’s normally like 500$ and I only have to pay $300!”  
“Oh, yes, what a deal, Geiszler,” Hermann dramatically rolled his eyes.   
“And they don’t make me pay every time!” Newton pointed.   
“Pay every time? For what, the bloo?”  
“Never mind,” Newton suddenly shut down. He started pacing around his room, looking for a clean shirt.   
“No, that’s not what you meant, is it?” Hermann tracked him with his eyes.   
“Drop it, Hermann,” he continued to pace.   
“Tell me, Newton!”  
“I said drop it!” The two were were in full blown argument mode.   
“You’re paying to have sex with them, aren’t you?”  
“Yes, okay, yes!” he whipped around. His eyes were watery and still red.   
“And how much are you paying for your whore on top of the fucking drugs?” Hermann spat.   
“Don’t you fucking dare call them that!” Newton bellowed. They stared at each other in another moment of silence. “Get out.”  
“Newton-”  
“I said get out!” he yelled.   
“Please, Newton, I want to help you,” Hermann’s voice tried to break though his anger. “Just talk to me, help me understand!”  
“Take back what you said,” he demanded. “Take back what you said about them.”  
Hermann sighed, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to use those words. I am better than that. It was a line I should not have crossed.” He spoke with sincerity.   
Newton nodded. “Okay...” he sat back on his bed.   
“Now, just...tell me. Tell me how this started,” Hermann sat back down in the chair.   
“It’s not gonna change anything, dude. I’m not gonna stop seeing them.”  
“Please, just humor me,” he sat his cane in his lap.   
“I...I really shouldn’t tell you.”  
“Why not? You don’t...you trust me do you...”  
Newton was silent again. Of course he didn’t trust him, Hermann thought. He hadn’t reached out to him for anything prior to using KB, so why would he tell him when he was in the middle of using it? What relationship did they have to merit something like that…  
“It...it’s not that I trust you, dude...” Newton’s voice was hesitant. “I don’t...don’t think I can...” Hermann squinted his eyes in speculation. Newton continued, “I think we could get in serious trouble...”  
“Newton, you’re already in serious trouble, why don’t you understand that?”  
“Well, maybe you should leave me in my trouble,” he spat back, throwing on a shirt that probably wasn’t clean.   
“Please, Newton, I...I need you to work with me,” Hermann was almost begging. “Give me something!”  
He rubbed his face, mulling it over. He looked to the side and clicked his tongue. “You know, I'm not sure I was supposed to bring you last night.”  
“What?” Hermann was shocked. “What are you talking about?”  
“Well, see, I think Ryn told me to bring a friend some time...”  
“You...think?”  
“Yeah...I think so. But, I could have made that up...but then again, we got in okay, right?” he looked at Hermann for confirmation.   
“Yes, no problem as far as I could tell...”  
“Then...yeah, we should be okay...” he mumbled.   
Hermann hoisted himself up from the chair and grabbed his wrist, forcing Newton to bring his attention back to the present. “Tell me how it all started,” Hermann demanded. His words were forceful, but his eyes were pleading.   
Newton didn’t pull back, but turned his eyes away, “Heh, look at you. Wasting your time worrying about me...” After a moment, he gently slipped out of Hermann’s grasp. “Okay...I’ll tell you. I guess it doesn’t really matter what happens...”  
Hermann’s eyebrows scrunched up in concern and confusion, but settled back in the chair. He listened intently as Newton spun the tale of meeting Ryn.


	4. The Bell Flower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newton tries to tell Hermann about meeting Ryn. Hermann doesn't get what he wants out of the conversation. At all. He decides to take matters into his own hands.

“See, it all started from a curiosity...” Newt started. “I overheard some people talking at my fave bars in Hong Kong. And I couldn’t help myself. I mean, I know there’s all this speculation about kaiju modding but...it couldn’t hurt to...see if the rumors were true or not...is what I thought...” Hermann stayed quiet. He was used to this kind of conversation with Newton; the one-sided, hypothetical question filled kind. “Anyway, I ended up following these guys to The Bell Flower, that’s the name of the place, by the way, I forgot to tell you,” he clarified. “Anyway, I get there, and I didn’t really know what to do, so I got straight to the point. Which, oh, man, I was lucky that worked out the way it did...” Newton spoke with an eagerness. As if he had been wanting to talk to someone about his experience; still blissfully unaware of how troubling the whole situation was. “A-Anyway, I tell them I heard they had KM’s and that I wanted to...meet one,” he chose his words carefully. 

Hermann wanted to press him to be more honest, but changed his mind. He knew he was lying; he knew Newton enough to know that his interest with the kaiju’s had always been...a little more eccentric. The idea of Newton seeking out a sexual partner, and someone as ghastly as a KM, made his stomach churn. His mind jerked away from the thought instinctively.

“Michonne, that french chick with the pink hair, made me wait for like...20 minutes outside the door."

Oh, he’s on a first name basis with these people, that’s grand, Hermann groaned in his mind.

“I was taken to one of the rooms and had to wait for like another 20 minutes and-”

“Wait, you mean the rooms we walked past?” Hermann interrupted.

“Uh, yeah?”

“You said you didn’t know what they were for,” he reminded. His eyes stared coldly at Newton.

“I...I mean, it’s not a complete lie, dude,” he fumbled with his hands. “That was the only time I was in one of them. I didn’t...I didn’t really want to...”

“It’s fine,” Hermann huffed. “Go on.”

Newton’s leg was now vibrating up and down, possibly from nerves. “A-anyway, I had to answer some questions, and they brought me to Ryn,” he rushed his words.

“Wait, slow down,” Hermann waved his hand. “Who asked you questions?”

Newton pursed his lips, thinking. He was truly having an internal struggle of what he should or shouldn’t say. “H-her name is Lady Feng. She runs The Bell Flower.”

“Just...Lady Feng?”

Newt shrugged with a glum expression, “It’s the only name I know her by.”

“What things did they ask you?” Hermann changed the subject.

“Just...some compatibility questions. To make sure I would get along with Ryn.”

Hermann blinked, “Compatibility questions?”

“Y-yeah, man, I don’t know,” he shrugged again, averting his gaze. “That’s how they do things, I guess. It worked, I get along with Ryn so fucking good...” he rested his chin on his fist.

Newton wasn’t telling him everything. There was more to all this, but he didn’t know how much he should press. He tilted his head, remembering something Newton had said in the beginning of the story. “You said you were lucky it worked out in your favor. What...did you mean by that?” He was afraid of the answer.

Newt started bouncing his leg again.

“Newton,” Hermann staid sternly.

“Lady Feng...normally wouldn’t have let me become a client, with how I approached them.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I’m charismatic as fuck, dude!” he dodged the question.

“Newton, I was hellbent on convincing you to stop this insane routine you’ve fallen into and you’re only reinforcing it,” Hermann scolded with a bite to his words.

“Are you gonna keep talking down to me like I’m some stupid teenager or what?” Newton griped back.

“I don’t know, are you going to stop acting like a stupid teenager?” Hermann couldn’t help himself.

“Fuck this, I don’t need it!” Newton sprang to his feet and started towards his bathroom.

“Newton-” Hermann grabbed his arm.

He ripped it back with a surprising amount of strength, “Don’t fucking touch me, Hermann!”

Hermann had to catch himself with his cane, his heart in his throat. Newt had reeled back his arm, ready to launch it. He trembled and let his hand drop. He stepped back and wiped at his face, a few tears dripping down. “Just...fucking leave me alone, Hermann,” his voice cracked in a frustrated defeat. He went into his bathroom and closed the door.

Hermann was shaking, too. He had seen Newton get angry, and throw a tantrum over something trivial, but nothing like this. Newt had never acted as if he was going to take out his rage physically on another person, and especially not towards him. With an uneven step, he started to leave Newton’s chamber. He heard deep sobs and thuds coming from the bathroom, but gently closed the door behind him.

Hermann kept himself together until he reached his own quarters. He fell against the door and covered his mouth, tears falling down his cheeks. They stung horribly, and he roughly wiped them away with his sleeve. He breathed in deeply, pulling himself together. He had to keep a level head. Newton was not himself. That was plain and simple. He wasn’t going to listen, he wasn’t going to tell him everything, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to stop seeing Ryn.

Ryn. They were the only option left. He remembered the black card he stole from Newton. He nodded to himself. It was a shot in the dark. It was risky as all hell. But he knew he had to do it. He looked at his watch. He had an hour until the mid day ferry left.

 

He used that time to clean up; actually clean up. He showered, shaved, and made himself look as presentable as possible. He got to the ferry just in time, and spent the ride thinking of a plan. He thought of everything he was going to say to Ryn; assuming he could get to them. There was the issue of Lady Feng. He knew next to nothing about her. Would he even be able to get in? Newton made it sound like such a trial but, if Newton managed to get in against whatever procedure they had, surely he could. Right?

Yes. He had to.

 

What would he say to Ryn, though? He pondered on this more. He would have to be clear, concise, with no negotiations. What he would have loved to do was tell them to never touch Newton Geiszler again; to keep their vile claws off of his skin. He gave his head a small shake, distancing himself from that specific thought. No, he would have to be much more tactful than that.

Before he knew it, he had made it to the city. His heart raced from fear and anxiety. Why did it feel like he was walking into a death trap?

 

The sun didn’t have too many clouds covering it; it was a sunny day. By the time Hermann reached The Bell Flower, it was around 3 o’clock. Just like the night before, the area was still and quiet and deserted. However, thanks to the daylight, it didn’t appear quite as chilling. He shifted nervously in front of the door. His hand clenched into a fist and he hesitated to knock. He wracked up the courage and pulled his fist back.

“We’re not open, what do you want?” the sliding slot opened suddenly. The familiar french accent sounded agitated.

Hermann’s body jerked from the unexpected greeting (if you could call it that). _“Madamme, s’il te plait, tu dois me laisser entrer_ ,” he responded quickly in french.

 _“_ _Nous ne sommes pas ouverts. D'ailleurs, même si nous étions, j'ai besoin d'un mot de passe...”_ she replied harshly and then added, “Idiot.”

“ _Les monstres jouent dans nos coeurs de saphir,”_ Hermann shouted at the slot in desperation.

“God...damn it...” she cursed quietly. _“Attends ici...”_

 

Hermann sighed in relief, surprised using Newton’s password worked. He expected to wait for a while, like Newton had described his first encounter. But he didn’t have to wait that terribly long, maybe 10 minutes. The door opened and Hermann stepped inside. _“Merci beaucoup-”_

 _“Tais-toi...”_ she snapped and closed the door behind him.

Hermann grimaced as he continued on his path. His leg and hip were burning with aches at this point but he pushed it out of his mind. He had to focus. He ignored the many, plain doors and stepped down the stairs that lead to the underground bar. The stillness in the air sent a small chill down his spine. When he reached the bottom, there was only one bouncer there to meet him. He was leaned against the wall with an irritated look on his face. He tapped his fingers on his arm and glared down Hermann as he approached. He pulled out the black card. “I’m here to see Ryn.”

“Yeah,” his eyes stared down at Hermann; not even glancing at the card. He flicked his head towards the inside. “Go in.”

He slowly retracted his hand and slipped the card into his back pocket. Since the moment he stepped into The Bell Flower his confidence had plummeted. He stepped inside the bar, not sure what to expect. He looked around and saw that it was pleasantly well lit. It was empty; save the few employee’s cleaning and stocking the bar area.

“Dr. Gottlieb,” a voice echoed in the stillness.

Hermann’s eyes darted to a corner of the bar. At a small table sat Ryn. They held up their hand with an inviting smile spread on their lips. They waved them over slowly with their fingers.

Hermann’s heart began to pump harder. He looked over his shoulder and saw the bouncer was standing behind him. He glowered down at him. Hermann looked back towards Ryn. There was no going back now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bell Flower meaning: Unchanging Love, Honesty, and Obedience
> 
> French translation:
> 
> "Madamme, s’il te plait, tu dois me laisser entrer"="Madam, please, let me in"  
> "Nous ne sommes pas ouverts. D'ailleurs, même si nous étions, j'ai besoin d'un mot de passe"="We are not open. By the way, even if we were, I need a password"  
> "Les monstres jouent dans nos coeurs de saphir"="Monsters play in our sapphire hearts"  
> "Attends ici"="Wait here"  
> "Merci beaucoup"="Thank you very much"  
> "Tais-toi"="Shut up"


	5. Compromise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermann tries to convince Ryn to give up Newton. They might be willing, but Hermann has to do something in return.

 

Ryn was wearing more casual clothing this time around. Their heavier set frame was less prominent in the baggy black t-shirt. Their jeans were slightly ripped at around the knees. A look he could see Newton liking very much. “Please, sit with me,” they offered as Hermann approached the table.

He silently sat down and rested his cane against the table.

“Dr. Gottlieb, may I call you Hermann?” they asked. They had a genuine desire for permission. He simply nodded. “Hermann, I feel like we got off on the wrong foot,” they reclined back in their chair. Their finger trailed around the rim of a wine glass. “I think we should start over.”

“Now, why pray tell would I want to do that?” Hermann frowned.

“I figure we might as well get on good terms,” they delicately picked up their glass and took a sip. “Would you care for some? We have plenty to choose from if you don’t like sweet wines.”

“No.”

They shrugged, “Fine.”

“I’ve come to talk to you about Newton Geiszler,” he interjected.

“I know you are,” their tone dropped. Their violet eyes boared down on him. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

Hermann’s body went rigid and his heart thumped in his chest. “How would you...”

“I do hope you don’t take me for an idiot,” they picked up their wine again. They stared at the half full glass, swirling it gently. “Did you really think I wouldn’t notice Newton’s missing card?”

He froze and he folded his hands together. He forced himself to calm down. “So...he knows by now, then.”

“No, of course not,” they pressed the glass to their lips and sipped again. “Clients are responsible for their cards. He’ll find out...” their eyes slid over to Hermann. “Eventually.” Those eyes struck Hermann to his core. He hated it.

“So, without this card, he can’t see you, is that correct?”

“Oh, Hermann, I do like your boldness, but I think you have a misunderstanding.” He straightened up, puzzled. “I’m not here to answer your questions. You’ll be answering mine.”

“What questions could you possibly have?”

“For starters, why are you here?” they tapped their nails on the table.

“I...I told you...to talk about Newton.”

“Be more specific.” Ryn’s demeanor was intimidating. Hermann hoped he could pull off that same confident and stern, demanding attitude.

Hermann paused and then breathed in, wracking up all his courage. “I want you to cut all contacts with him,” he whispered harshly.

Ryn raised their eyebrows. “Oh, is that so? That’s a tall order.”

“This is destroying a talented, brilliant man that is trying to help the world,” Hermann pressed. “This has to stop!” he smacked his hand on the table. Ryn held up a hand keeping their eyes on him. Hermann glanced back and saw that the bouncer was only a few steps behind him. He popped his knuckles and returned to his post.

“Hermann, there’s no need to have raised voices right now. We can talk like civil people.”

“You are not civil...” he murmured.

“Because I have kaiju mods? You’re very closed minded,” they shook their head. “I don’t get what Newton sees in you, honestly,” they sighed.

He tilted his head, “What do you mean?”

They waved their hand dismissively. “It’s incredibly obvious you care about him. And despite what you may think...I care about him, too.” Ryn placed a hand on their chest. “It would pain me to let him go.”

Hermann lowered his eyes and his jaw clenched. “How could you say such a lie.”

“Believe what you want, Hermann,” they pushed back their bangs. “It doesn’t effect his...contract with me.”

Hermann shook his head, refusing to accept their words. “If you don’t...if you don’t end your relationship with him, I’ll-”

“Or you’ll what?” Ryn was leaning across the table, their face merely inches from Hermann’s. Their fangs bared slightly. “You’re only going to get one warning for this, Dr. Gottlieb. The Bell Flower does not take threats lightly. Choose your next words carefully,” they raised his chin gently as they spoke viciously.

Hermann swallowed hard. He slowly pulled back and looked around the room. The bouncer and the barkeeps were starring daggers at him. “Let me speak to Lady Feng.”

“So you know about Lady Feng,” they clicked their tongue. “Hm, no,” they reclined back. “This is between us. Newton is _my_ client.”

“Lady Feng...she...she’s in charge though, isn’t she?”

“She is...but I’ve already spoken to her. She has given me permission to handle this...situation...” they examined their nails. “She has no time to waste on you.” Hermann gripped his cane in rage. Ryn’s eyes fixed back on the man sitting across from them. They breathed in deeply and sighed. “You’re that determined, aren’t you?” Their voice was gentle, almost impressed.

Hermann softened at Ryn’s less aggressive tone. “I...” he cleared his throat, and added, “There has to be something...that can convince you...”

“See, a little civility goes a long way,” they nodded. “We can...possibly...compromise.”

“Compromise?” Hermann repeated, grimacing slightly. He told himself he wouldn’t leave any room for negotiations.

They grinned, “Yes, of course. I like you, Hermann. You are...fascinating. I’d like to get to know you more.”

Hermann blinked and pulled back again. This was not what he was expecting. “Come again?”

“Tell me, what do you know about Kaiju Bloo?” Ryn ignored him and rested their chin on their knuckles. “It’s always so interesting to hear what people think.”

He furrowed his eyebrows, “Why does...that matter?”

“I’m curious, really. Newton didn’t have much of an idea at all,” they spoke so casually.

“From what I’ve seen...” Hermann turned his head, thinking back on Newt, “and what I could find, it has quite an array of effects.”

“Like?”

He huffed in frustration, “Bouts of mania, energy, sexual performance...it, it’s addiction rate is through the roof...some have even died from it.” He knew he was being crude and lacking in detail but he was losing his patience.

“You got some things right,” they held up their empty wine glass. “Sorry, hold on, Jacoby, would you mind?” they called out over to the bar. One of the bartenders met them and took their empty glass. “God, that’s funny, people think KB can kill you...” they chuckled as they waited for their refill. “It’s horse shit, Hermann.” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat; partly due to the conversation, partly due to the increasing pain in his hip. The man returned with a full glass of wine. “Thank you, my dear,” they smiled sweetly. The man gave a small nod and smile in return. Ryn took a longer drink, draining half the glass. “You sure you don’t want anything? It’s my treat.”

“N-no,” he refused again. He winced trying to find an easier way to sit.

“KB has a wide variety of uses, like you said,” they explained. “Ranging from an energy and productivity boost, helping with focus issues...to...well, yes, advanced sexual performance,” they wiped a bit of wine from their lip and licked it off. Hermann glanced away from Ryn, making them laugh. “It can do so much more than that, of course.”

“Why...why are you telling me this? What does this have to do with anything?” he gripped his cane again.

“Because, Hermann...I’m going to offer you something. If you do it, I’ll null Newton’s contract with me, and he will no longer be my client,” they crossed a leg over the other.

“What? Really? Just like that?” Hermann’s eyes grew wide.

“It’s not going to be that simple. You will have to do something in return.”

Hermann chewed his lip in worry. What could that even entail? “I can’t just blindly say yes.”

“Of course not,” they chuckled. “This is the deal...there is a loop hole we could take advantage of. I need to have a client at all times. It’s one of the few things I have to abide by here at The Bell Flower.”

“Where are you going with this?” Hermann’s eyes squinted slightly.

Ryn leaned on their fists again, a teasing smile on their lips. “Take Newt’s place as my client, Hermann. Do this, and I will never contact him again.”


End file.
